Other Angels Girls, 10 and older

Beginning May 6, 2016, children age 10 & up are eligible for a $10,000 grant. Older children with special needs other than Down syndrome are referred to as “Other Angels” on the Reece’s Rainbow website.

From a volunteer who visited with her in August 2016:Irina’s update from last year is still very accurate. Her introvert and shy behaviors got more though. She prefers not to interact at all. It took me half of our trip to get her to trust me enough to walk around the building with us and she would still not look at me. She avoids any eye contact. She did enjoy the attention though. She still loves to sit on someones lap. She has grown even more than last year. This year she had become too heavy for me to carry her.

I think Irina wants to get out of the facility. She was transferred to this facility a couple years ago. Before she lived here, she lived in a ‘normal orphanage’ with a special needs group. When they lost their funding she was transferred here. When we take her for a walk she walks to the gate and she just stares at the world outside of those gates. She realizes there is an entire world out there. One day the nurses saw us at the gate though and they yelled at us for minutes. We were not allowed to take Irina there, she could walk away. The gate is closed and locked and we were there with her, so there was no way she’d walk away, but from that day on Irina was even more closed and she lost most of the initiative while walking. She even lost her interest in the swing. She needs someone she can trust, someone who she’ll know will stay and will love her. She has already been listed for so long! She needs a family!

From a volunteer who visited with her in July 2015: ” Irina is a beautiful girl with dark hair and big dark eyes. She has a cleft palate. She is a precious and happy little girl. She loves personal attention. She is craving attention and physical touch. If it was up to her she’d be held and hugged all day. She can react really shy to people who talk to her and especially when yelled at, she will become really introvert. She is a really sweet girl. Irina is a physically quite healthy girl. She is well nourished, she can walk, run, swing, etc. Her physical development is good, compared with the other children in the same facility. She seems to have a strong body. She knows how to use a swing properly and can swing by herself. She enjoys it a lot. She can play accurate with toys, like dolls, or pretend play with kitchen tools. She knows how to walk stairs. She can dress and undress herself. She can drink from a cup and eat by herself. She is potty trained and will tell if she has to use the bathroom. She doesn’t talk, most likely because of her cleft palate. She doesn’t make noises, but her eyes express a lot about how she feels. And her smile will tell you when she enjoys something. She understands what is being said to her and she can follow orders. When Irina is in the group, she’ll try to stay away from the others. She prefers to play by herself, but she is also capable of interacting with other children or adults. She prefers to play with children who are smaller or younger than her, probably because they are no threat to her. Last year I saw how she was being bullied by other (bigger) children. She tries to flee from bullies (and from yelling), but there is nowhere to go. This year she is doing much better. She has grown physically, which made her less of a target for the bigger children. Maybe also because new smaller children are in the group now. Sometimes she’s still the target of bullying and harming behaviour, but at other moments she will show these behaviours herself. She can be a bully to the smaller children herself. I think this is her way of showing that she is stronger now, but this is no good development. The longer children are in this facility, the more harming behaviour they show. Irina is still able to receive love, but time is ticking away. She needs a family. She would thrive in a family where she could be ‘the baby’.”

If you are unfamiliar with FAS, please spend some time researching this condition. Just as with Down syndrome, FAS and FAE have a wide variation of effects on each child, both medically, physically, and cognitively. This is typically dependent on how long during the pregnancy the mother consumed alcohol, and of course, how much. There is no way to know this ahead of time.

Irina has been transferred to the older child internat now. Elinor, Devora, Julia, Sullivan, Artemur, Duane, Abner and Irina may all be in the same region.

She will remain bedridden and restrained for the rest of her life is she is not adopted. Janie is a beautiful little girl who struggles with the effects of FAS. She also has CP and some effects of hydrocephaly. She is not able to walk on her own, and will need the loving and patient care of a family to help her achieve her potential.

If you are unfamiliar with FAS, please spend some time researching this condition. Just as with Down syndrome, FAS and FAE have a wide variation of effects on each child, both medically, physically, and cognitively. This is typically dependent on how long during the pregnancy the mother consumed alcohol, and of course, how much. There is no way to know this ahead of time.

SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!! Eugene is really a GIRL! After all this time, we have learned he is a SHE. Dark brown hair and blue-green eyes. She has severe CP, but has recently started walking! Jewell is the victim of parental physical abuse, and suffers from post-traumatic brain injury, which has further complicated her delays and struggles.

Updated medical and pictures 8/2015:

She has after-effects of severe brain injury (brain bones fracture), subarachnoidal influence in the form of irreversable damage, hemiplegia with microcephaly.

Dark brown hair and blue-green eyes. She has severe CP, but has recently started walking!

Jewell is the victim of parental physical abuse, and suffers from post-traumatic brain injury, which has further complicated her delays and struggles.

She does have a sister with mild delays whom she can be adopted with or by herself

Miss Leila is so pretty! Dark hair and giant brown eyes, she is waiting for her forever family. Leila does not have a specific diagnosis for her cognitive and physical delays. Her speech is severely delayed and she is not able to walk her own. She does have strabismus and an astigmatism.

Daphne was born with CP. She is not able to walk and is significantly cognitively delayed. She is described as an affectionate and responsive child, and she would so benefit from having a loving family of her own.

She is facing transfer very soon, and will remain bedridden if she is not adopted.

This beautiful, brown haired, blue eyed angel was born with a lot of strikes stacked against her. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve a voice or a chance to have a family who loves her and can help her be all she is able!

When Willow arrived, she did not want others to touch her or be near her. However, with some attention and one-on-one time with staff, she began to trust others. While she is unable to walk, she has responded well to therapy which has focused on developing leg strength. She also participates in water therapy weekly.

Willow arrived at this orphanage in early February 2013. She loves music and loves to dance. She has responded well to the pre-school program taught at the orphanage. She has a bright smile and a contagious laugh. When visitors come, Willow is delighted to swing with them or go on walks in the neighborhood.

From a missionary who visited with her in 2013: ” I’ve met Willow! Seriously, this girl ALWAYS smiles. Whenever I would come near her she’d just grab my hand and grin at me. She wants to go exploring so bad, but she can’t walk. She would just point at stuff and grin at me to try to get me there. She is a sweetie pie. my roommate got to feed her lunch one day. She is a happy little girl who went from being scared of others near her to loving the attention! “

Sarahfina has been at the orphanage since she was one week old. She has grown healthy and strong since being here, but she is very shy. Sarahfina is independent and prefers to take care of herself. She likes to eat and is not picky. She always eats all of her meals and snacks are her favorite!

Lizzie is blind with light perception and participates in a program that provides high quality care and education for orphans who are blind or visually impaired. Lizzie is a beautiful little girl who has learning needs. She goes to primary school and she is in a special needs class, which means she has a lot of one-on-one teaching and therapy time. She has had speech and language therapy classes for 8 months and she has learned so much! She can communicate through signs but she has loved the freedom that comes with being able to communicate what she wants.

Lizzie really enjoys listening to music and hearing nursery rhymes. Since she can see a little bit, she likes to be in the light and wave her hand back and forth in front of her face. She also likes to sit on the seesaw, and gets a big smile on her face as she goes up and down. Lizzie loves to cuddle and will give almost anyone a hug. She also loves where she can move around, such as jumping on the trampoline and playing with big exercise balls. Lizzie will need some extra care and therapy when she is in a family. Her learning needs are such that she should have speech and language therapy and one-on-one time with teachers who have experience with children with special needs.

Samantha (the oldest), on the left: Brown hair and stunning green eyes! Microcephaly, mental retardation, crossed eyes, physically capable, friendly and affectionate girl, will do well in family environment. High likelihood of fetal alcohol syndrome.

At the orphanage Aurora likes to lead the younger girls. She will hold their hands and take them to play on the slide. When the children want to play on the trampoline, they will always call their “big sister,” and she will happily lift them up to play.

She has a strong ability to be self-sufficient. She likes to wash her own socks. When she speaks, the sound is not very clear, but each time after she finishes washing her things, she will run to the nanny and say, “Nanny, I am done washing, are they clean?” The nanny will pat her cheek and tell her how great she is, and she will happily hang the things out to dry.

The orphanage sent Aurora to a special education school to attend class. When she first went to the school, she was not very used to it and she didn’t talk much with the other children. With the teacher’s help, she started to slowly try to talk to her classmates. Because her pronunciation was unclear, she would use gestures when she spoke to help explain. It wasn’t long before she started to like going to school. She learned with her classmates and always participated actively in their games. She worked very hard and always earned the teachers’ praise. After class, she would take the initiative to set out the tables and chairs, and she would neatly put her school supplies in her schoolbag. She is a little girl who loves cleanliness. Each morning she makes her own bed and cleans up her area.

Now Aurora has grown even prettier and she is especially polite. When she sees a nanny, she will say “Hello, Nanny!” on her own initiative. She particularly likes to wear pretty skirts and twirl around, and she will always praise herself, saying, “Nanny, I am so pretty!” She is a hard-working girl, and although the clarity of her speech isn’t very good, she is very diligent. Each morning when she wakes up, she will read her lessons aloud, and if there is a part she doesn’t understand, she will ask the teacher. At school if she earns rewards of red flowers, beaded necklaces, or pencils, she will share with the other children on her own initiative.

Girl born March, 2006
Moderate mental delay; congenital heart defect, has had surgery to repair; developmental delays; farsightedness. She is currently receiving speech therapy and physiotherapy.

Listed: May 20, 2012

From 2010 report: Maddie is alert and likes to engage. She is helpful, likes to help with the younger children. Her walking in unsteady and is described as “crooked”. Understands simple orders, but in various activities she does not fully understand what is being asked of her. Maddie is determined to be independent and tries to perform everything herself. She enjoys helping others, likes to clean up when she sees a mess. Her fine motor skills need improvement. She seeks out attention. She likes to observe and then imitate. She is protective of her toys. Speech is significantly delayed at this time. She says few words (thank you, bye, this, no, uncle, mom). She enjoys singly loudly in her own little language.

Isn’t Maddie adorable? She would fit right in as “Mommy’s little helper”

UPDATE SEPT 2013:
The girl is well disposed towards school: she already can sit by the table with help completes the tasks, for a short time started to concentrate her attention to the task she is interested in. She is able to complete the task if proper motivation is provided. Still the girl’s activities in general are chaotic, non-meaningful and in consecutive order. She understands short instructions. General knowledge about herself and environment still are limited. She can show some items in her surrounding environment. Speaks in sounds/words, short words which needs the correction; is able to express her wishes, emotions, understands when misbehaved and comes close to a person and touches saying sorry and expressing her apology. She always asks when need to go to the bathroom and walks accompanied by the teacher‘s assistant. Her hygiene skills needs to be improved, but they are in place. The school bus takes Maddie from care institution and brings her back.

Girl, born 2006
Diagnoses: depression, impulsive, attention deficit disorder
It is suspected she has FAS; she suffered meningitis in past.

Listed: January 31, 2013

Look at sweet Edith, all dolled up for the New Year’s party at her orphanage!

She has had a broken nose because when she lived in the family her mother’s boyfriend pushed her and she fell and broke the nose. Two foreign families have visited her but did not end up adopting her.

One of our adoptive families has met her, and has video of her for inquiring families. “Edith was was much in need of one on one attention but did not even know how to be held. She was whiney, but very willing to share her chocolate with anyone and everyone. Edith played with the other girls and was sociable. You could tell, however, that she was emotionally somewhat fragile. She would do really well, in my opinion, as the youngest or only child (or in a family where the other children are grown). She really needs an experienced adoptive family who can give her lots of one on one attention and help build her trust in humanity back”.

Nicki is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and post-operative cleft lip. Nicki has waited a very long time to find her forever family. Such a beautiful smile, she is said to be kind to people, is polite, attached to foster mother, sensitive and active thinking. Presently she has normal intelligence development, good physical development, and average balance ability and can walk with hands holding onto support.

Emilie is on target in every way (cognitively, physically,emotionally etc.) , but her speech is a bit delayed. She can recite children’s rhymes, but her pronunciation is not very clear. She enjoys playing with kids older than she is and likes to be praised by adults.

Chrystyna is a beautiful, brown haired, brown eyed girl who deserves a chance at a better life! Her official orphanage papers say she has developmental delays/difficulties from birth, but nothing more specific than that. It is possible she has FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome). Her biological mother was deprived her parental rights in December 2004, and the biological father is not known. Chrystyna has so much potential, and will be a precious gift to any family who adopts her.

Chrystyna is already living in an institution, so we need a family for her right away!

UPDATE: God has been watching Chrystyna. She was recently transferred out of the institution into a wonderful facility, where they teach these children, work with them, and they appear very well cared for. The difference in the few girls who were transferred OUT of the institution is incredible! Please give these girls a second chance for a loving family!

If you are unfamiliar with FAS, please spend some time researching this condition. Just as with Down syndrome, FAS and FAE have a wide variation of effects on each child, both medically, physically, and cognitively. This is typically dependent on how long during the pregnancy the mother consumed alcohol, and of course, how much. There is no way to know this ahead of time.

From a family who met her, Sept 2012:
She is getting settled into her new environment. She seems to be very comfortable in her groupa. She is very beautiful and still has a lot of potential. She deserves a chance!

From someone who met her, June 2013:
During the music performance, she was constantly stimming really fast (like it looks like she is being fast forwarded) and after they finished she was taken out by a nanny. Not sure what is going on with her; If interested families want to see the videos they are welcome to! I know a family tried to take pictures of her last year but couldn’t get a good one because she moved so much!

Carolina is such a beautiful girl; beautiful brown hair with olive skin. She has cerebral palsy, and does wear AFO’s on both feet.

From her medical records: Cerebral palsy, convergent squint, mental delay. She can walk by supporter or holding one hand. She says separate words, understands simple speech, is affectionate and friendly. Physical therapy and a loving family will bring MIRACLES for this little girl!

Listed: August 6, 2010

Carolina was transferred in 2011to a boarding school (not an institution).

UPDATE August 2013:

Carolina is a beautiful girl! She is about 4ft tall and about 50lbs. Her CP affects her mostly from the knees down. She does have cytomegalovirus. This was reconfirmed last year, but we were not able to find out if it is active, or if she merely was exposed while her mother was pregnant with her. CMV does cause brain damage if a baby is exposed in utero, so a family needs to be prepared for that, or for the fact that is IS transmissible when it flares. She is very strong and she does make her likes and dislikes known. Her biggest love is candy…but not chocolate! She likes white chocolate a lot though. She likes dolls, and can undress them herself. She has good use of her hands. She gets around by crawling or knee walking, which is great. Knee walking shows her hips are nice and strong. She loves to “dance.” Dancing, to her, is an adult bouncing her up and down for as long as you can stand to do it. She gets quite unhappy when you stop to take a break. The nannies make her walk a bit while holding onto hands, but her legs and feet are just not able to line up with her being so tight. She is very strong. She loves cell phones and will try to snatch them at any opportunity. A toy cell phone that plays music would be nice for her. She speaks, though it is like a toddler. She repeats the same few things over and over, but she does say a couple other words and used them correctly. She understands much more though and the caretakers speak to her in complete sentences. She just loves to move and bounce and be twirled around. She likes BIG movements. She was very briefly startled by my husband, but quickly discovered he could bounce her around longer and higher than I could…and so she quickly preferred him!

Carolina does have some institutional behaviors that a family needs to be prepared for. Her moods change quickly, and when she gets upset, she can throw herself to the floor, even injuring herself. She will hit, pull hair,etc if she is upset. She will throw large toys as well. The caretakers love her, but did express that she would likely not engage or interact with kids bigger than her, and would be likely to assert herself over anyone smaller. That is just how life in these places is. Families without small children would be best for her. An involved, hands-on Papa would be ideal, and a trampoline would be out of this world for her.

Charissa is very outgoing and has a ready smile. She goes to school, and learns to sing in the school and can hold a pen with full hand and can imitate drawing lines and simple shapes. Charissa always listen to the teacher in class. She gets along well with other children and likes to have her picture taken. She hopes that she can be adopted by foreigners. Charissa is patiently waiting for the perfect photo-op, the day she meets her new family. Are you ready too?

Anastasia is a lovely young lady with blonde hair and blue eyes. Anastasia was born with CP, and has difficulty walking, but she is very smart and affectionate and doing well. Physical therapy will work wonders for her. She will be a wonderful daughter for anyone who considers her!

Update June 2013:
This girl is a dancer! She does not let her CP stop her and she was up and dancing up and down to the music. She is mobile and does walk unassisted but poor thing desperately needs PT and is not receiving it. Her legs do not go straight

Update June 2013:
Look at Delta- isn’t she beautiful?! She is SO, SO sweet- we gave the kids lollipops and she grabbed my hand and squeezed it and said thank you. She is very “with it”- the kids danced for me and she was one of the very few that was on beat! She is able to follow directions and imitate. I have a video but for privacy reasons I can’t put it on her profile but if a family is considering her I would be happy to share!

Girl, Born 2003
Alisha was born with Penn-Sjogren Syndrome. We do not have any other info indicating why she may be cognitively and physically delayed. She has cognitive delays, and a divergent squint.

Listed: JAugust 7, 2010

Update 2012:
Little Miss Alisha’s eyesight has regressed significantly. She needs a family!
She can’t move by herself but she tries to sit. Her speech is not developed. Mental processes are not formed. Ideation is not developed. Alisha is friendly and quiet. Her emotional world is poor. She needs care constantly.

Update June 2013:
Look how good she looks! When I saw her she was sitting on the floor with another child, and she reached out and tugged on my pant leg almost like “look at me!” I said her name, and she gave me a big grin.

Update June 2013:
This picture does not show off her true beauty! She loved wearing this dress as when she danced the beads went flying. She has some pretty good dancing moves! I am not sure if she knew the words to the song but her mouth moved the entire time. She also rocks when she sits and does present as delayed. She has a very sweet, shy smile.

Update June 2013:
She is delayed but she tries very hard to keep up with everything. She is super, super smiley- like she could not stop smiling and giggling. She loved singing and she also loved watching everyone else dance (she did not participate). She also rocks when she sits, but again probably to self-soothe. There is video available with her in it as well.

Girl, Born June 2001
From her medical records: congenital microcephaly, autism

Listed: August 7, 2010

Justine is a pretty girl with dark hair and eyes. She is fully mobile and active. Her face bears features of FAS, but this is not documented and is only a cautionary disclosure.

As with all children living in these difficult conditions, this child’s cognitive development has regressed significantly since he/she was younger. It is of crucial importance that any family considering the adoption of an older child from the mental institution setting be well prepared for what to expect with regards to how the neglect and lack of adequate medical care and nourishment has affected this child. These children all have TREMENDOUS potential for improvement, and deserve to have a life outside these four walls.

Update June 2013:
Coralina is also such a sweet girl! She loved the beach balls and was running around the room making sure they all stayed in one place. She is very small especially considering she is almost 9. She is in a video, available to interested families.

Dorothy is diagnosed as having post-op CP (both lower limbs affected) and esotropia. From an update (April 2015): Dorothy is extroverted, optimistic, and happy. Her mental development is same as other peers the same age in the orphanage. She understands everything adults say. Dorothy can comprehend and remember what she is taught, but she cannot speak clearly. She needs a walker when walking, as she cannot walk independently. Dorothy can stand by herself for a short time and she can walk upstairs or downstairs by holding the rail. Dorothy is potty trained and has no continence issues. She can communicate with adults by using simple words, but talks slowly. She likes talking with people and she is well behaved and obedient. She can feed herself and put on her own clothing. Dorothy’s fine motor skills are normal. She can draw simple shapes like a circle, triangle, and apple and she can pick up little things with her fingers. She likes playing with blocks, coloring, painting, and dancing. She receives special education in the orphanage and her academic performance is fine. Dorothy’s emotional development is normal. She is close with her foster mother and her teachers. She gets along well with the other kids and is very caring. When other kids carry her walker for her, she will say ‘thank you.” She has lived with a foster family inside the orphanage for four years. Before, she lived with another foster family. She got along well with both families. Dorothy wants to be adopted.

Alys is a beautiful, sweet girl who is already 9 years old! She has significant mental delays, FAS, microcephaly and partial atrophy of optic nerve. She could greatly benefit from a family!

Update June 2013:
She was about ready to take her nap when I saw her. She already had her hands behind her head relaxing! She does get out of her crib and her orphanage just created an outside safe space for older children who are in cribs.

Update late 2016: Emily seems like a great kid who really wants to be adopted. She was crying to the caregivers in the beginning of the visit because she saw that someone else had a family coming. She clearly understands the idea of adoption and wants a mama and papa of her own. She has been sad to see other girls be adopted while she still waits.

Emily is one of the most capable girls in her group home. She understands everything that is spoken to her. She can speak a bit, but she mostly uses gestures to explain what she needs. She seems very bright and capable, but she has spent a long time in institutional care.

She was on her best behavior during this visit, but she is in a group of girls who are rough and tumble with one another sometimes. It isn’t a guarantee, but our boys from the same place were similar when we first adopted them, although they quickly learned our family’s expectations for behavior.

She can’t walk, but she is able to get around independently by scooting across the floor. She also uses a wheelchair.

Miss Nadene has regressed greatly in the orphanage. She has bad memory and attention. She is very shy and quiet. She needs help often but she can walk with support. She could use the love of a family to really blossom!

UPDATE 2013:
She is a mover! It was difficult to get her to stand still.

Girl, born February 2005
PRC
Motions of right tendon is bad, deformed tongue

Listed May 11, 2015

Willa, 11, is by all accounts an extroverted, happy, well-behaved, very obedient and caring, helpful and easy-going girl. She has been in the orphanage system and foster care since 2005 and has lived in the foster home inside the orphanage for the last 5 years. She’s always gotten along well with foster families. She likes to help her foster mom, do housework, take care of her little brothers and sisters, and help children with physical disabilities walk up and down stairs. Though she is diagnosed with postoperative tongue malformation and mental development delay, others who’ve met her say she has normal mental and emotional development, but can’t speak clearly. Her motor skills are normal, and she has no physical limitations. A recent report says she’s in kindergarten, but past reports have said she is in the orphanage special education class, is the best student there, understands what is taught, and is good at painting. She is close to the teachers and gets along very well with all other kids and adults. She can recite some poems and children’s songs, as well as simple English words. She can write simple words and do simple addition and subtraction. We and others met Terri in her orphanage, and one visitor reports, “She is a very sweet and happy child who really lights up the room when she smiles. She will go very far with love and formal education.” She really wants to be adopted! See her happy personality as she dances in her video. Click here to see Terri’s video

Bree is a beautiful young girl who just turned 10 years old. She came to the orphanage when she was about 3 years old. She was diagnosed with club feet, but watching her video brings up the possibility of CP. Bree is bright, observant, and a very sweet girl. She gets around with a walker, but very slowly. She is able to care for herself, but may need some assistance in the bathroom. Bree desperately needs a good evaluation, physical therapy, and whatever braces or splints that will help her mobility. Bree is a good student, and enjoys playing with other kids. She is so eager to have a family of her own. Bree’s cognitive skills are fine, her speech is fine, she just needs help getting around. Please make her dream of a family come true! Video is available.

Julissa: born April 2002; lack of protein energy. Weak posture. Enuresis of night. Psychomotor development delay in the form of a mild mental development delay.

the oldest sister has greyish-blue eyes and ash blonde hair. The girl is currently attending school and has good grades. The girl has a rich imagination, she gladly writes poems, stories, and enjoys performing in front of an audience and reciting poems. She is organizing a dance team in which they create performances and show them to the social workers. She likes roller-skating and has many friends, but also enjoys being alone. An educational neglect was observed, she had difficulties with adapting herself to having lessons, wasn’t able to independently study the school materials. She needed to be motivated and supported by adults on a regular basis. Her thinking speed was medium slow. The girl really needs a support of adults and needs to hear their thoughts and opinions. She needs someone she can trust, whom she could open up to, whom she could tell her feelings, emotions and thoughts. The girl has big mood-swings and she sometimes has self-destructive thoughts. She explained to her mother on the phone that she will be a part of a host program in USA and she wants to be adopted.

Jodi has blue eyes and ash blonde hair. In the school year of 2012/2013 the girl began her 1st grade. The girl is attending a specialized school. She has a great imagination and artistic thinking. She loves watching movies, singing songs, portraying things in her drawings and acting. The girl takes care of the youngest children. She is very active, gladly joins in different activities, including the dance team, and loves roller-skating. Currently, she really likes to make herself look pretty and enjoys having fun with such girly things. The head of the institution in which she currently resides explained, that her mild mental development delay cannot be seen when talking with the girl, it mainly is expressed as difficulties with focusing when studying. She has a poorly developed willpower, has low motivation for learning. Apart from that, she has good reasoning skills, she knows how to defend her point of view. The girl wasn’t prepared for school, wasn’t able to focus during lessons, had a slow thinking pace, and couldn’t follow the rest of the class. The abilities, health condition and development level was evaluated and she was introduced to a more suitable education program for children of minorities and with mental development issues.

Girl, born October 2005
PRC
Hyperextension of right knee/incontinent (possible lower spine issue)

Listed: May 27, 2014

Lexi is a beautiful little girl with such a sweet spirit! She is 8 years old, and has hyperextension of her right knee and is incontinent (possible issue with lower spine). She is able to “walk” with some assistance. Lexi used to sit and watch the other kids run and play, and she was so sad she couldn’t join in the fun. She worked and worked to find a way to get around! Lexi has had some delays but has excellent fine motor skills. She can take care of herself very well and is a smart girl. She has a best friend at the orphanage. Lexi sings while her friend dances. I imagine Lexi would love to be able to dance, too. She will need possible surgery and therapy on her right leg, and help with the continence issues. Lexi is a very loving and patient little girl. She is ready and waiting for a family of her own.

A family met her in country in 2015; they are willing to discuss her privately with families who are seriously considering adopting her.

Agency staff had the pleasure of recently meeting beautiful 11 year old McKinley! McKinley is living in a mock family in the foster village, which is on the orphanage grounds. She attends school in the special education class at the orphanage, where she is in 2nd grade. Her favorite subjects are art and Chinese. McKinley’s best friend has already been adopted to the US and she would very much like to be adopted too and she said she’d love a big family! When asked what kind of family she would like, she pointed to one of our staff members. She is a very sweet and considerate little girl. The guide that was with our staff said she has known her for years and that she is a wonderful girl!

McKinley’s favorite foods are fish, noodles, and grapes. Her favorite toys are dolls and puzzles. McKinley’s favorite animals are dogs and kangaroos. Her favorite color is white. McKinley said she wants to be a mama when she grows up…so sweet! McKinley’s mental abilities are slightly below her peers. She is not receiving any therapy at this time. Her hearing is normal, but she does squint a lot. It is a possibility that she needs glasses. She can read simple books and plays well with others. The orphanage staff described McKinley as shy, kind, helpful, friendly, and obedient.

Girl, born 2006
She is listed as Blind with a left foot deformity; she was assessed and they confirmed that she has no visual impairments but rather what they think is a visual processing disorder.

Listed: August 25, 2015

Chelsea Qi is a sweet girl with a kind spirit. It is rare to see her without a huge smile on her face. When first meeting her she may come across as shy or reserved but she warms up very quickly!

Chelsea loves to color and craft time was her favorite activity at camp. She could sit for hours coloring, making beaded necklaces or filling in her memory book. Chelsea has a beautiful voice and really enjoys singing! She knows a lot of Chinese songs and even a few songs in English! She really enjoyed our assembly time where we would sing some crazy camp songs and dance. She even sang a song all by herself during the end of week Talent Show. Swimming time was another highlight of the week for her, she loved getting to splash around in the pool and play with the blow up balls. All morning she would ask if it was time to go swimming yet!

Chelsea does have some special needs but her biggest need of all is a family that will love and help her to succeed in life. We have seen what small interventions can do for her development and with proper support and therapies we have no doubt she can continue to thrive! She used to live in a great foster home but had to return to her home orphanage in February 2015. We know she greatly misses her friends and nannies as the situation in her current orphanage isn’t ideal.

A specific agency is offering a $4,000 grant if a family uses their agency to adopt her.

From someone who met Kathleen in 2010: Kathleen is a very loving and social little girl who loves getting attention from adults. Whenever I was in her group, she was always right beside me, participating in whatever I was doing and engaging me in her own favorite activities. Kathleen has kept that silly, playfulness that most institutionalized children seem to lose. She was definitely a little mischievous getting into everything, but was also very quick to follow direction and obviously eager to please. I truly believe she would thrive in a family where she was showered with all the attention she deserves and allowed to simply be the fun-loving, silly little girl God created her to be.

From someone who met Kathleen in 2012: Kathleen is a happy little girl who would love to be able to communicate, but cannot because of an unrepaired cleft palate. She makes noises to communicate to the best of her ability. She is a very sweet little girl, and loves to play outside. Many missionaries who have met her loved her and spoke highly of her!

Update September 2015: Kathleen was moved into an all girls facility in 2012. The staff say she has adapted well to the routine and has a group of friends. However there is no opportunity for education or therapy where she currently is. The staff say their goals are focused physical activity and teaching the girls self care rather than on education. The facility is in a very rural village and there is no school nearby.

Kathleen was evaluated by a doctor who said that she is moderately mentally disabled. There is a high likelihood that she has some form of a congenital syndrome that she was born with. She has an unrepaired cleft palate, mitral valve prolapse, as well as some abnormality of her elbow joints. She is also very thin, it’s unclear if this is related to her syndrome since the other girls at her facility were not under weight like she is. We observed her eating several times, the palate does not seem to slow her down, but she does have to clear her nose frequently because there is no barrier between her mouth and her nasal cavity. It was originally thought that her speech challenges were due to the unrepaired palate, but the doctor says this is not likely since she is not just delayed in speech, but rather is completely nonverbal. He believes that she will remain nonverbal, but then again there is no speech therapy offered where she is, so we doubt that!

Kathleen understands and is able to follow basic instructions, and is able to perform self care with supervision (self feeds, toilets, dresses independently, etc). We were able to get her to play briefly kicking around a ball, and she liked to watch us color. We were unable to get her to use the crayons herself to see what her fine motor skills are like. She likes to take pictures but refuses to look at the pictures on the phone! She seems really averse to iphones, ipad, etc, when we tried to show her pictures and videos. She would hold our hands and lead us around where she wanted to go, and enjoys skipping! The staff have a nickname for her that basically means “energizer,” because she is always active and on the go!

Kathleen is a beautiful girl who is not able to reach her God given potential where she currently is. The doctor was not hopeful that she would “ever progress,” but we know that with the love/dedication of a family, and medical care/therapy that she needs, that she can prove him wrong!

Girl, born November 2004
Nina wants to be adopted! Possible FAS diagnosis

Listed: September 24, 2015

Nina is fine, cute, companionable, independent. She quickly and easily establish contacts with other people. She is popular among peers, sensitive to the suffering of others. She likes to help the weaker ones.

She learns willingly. She is conscientious and responsible. Science is not a problem for her. However, she requires assistance with homework. The girl reads nicely and smoothly, inventive, she likes to actively spend her free time. She is happy to be included in the work team. She likes to manual activities, games and fun group. Nina has difficulties in memorizing of a few commands at the same time also troubles with abstract account – on concretely doing well, is not that the worst of logical thinking.

The girl doesn’t often get sick, she has a small eye condition that in recent times has significantly improved (after a visual check by an ophthalmologist opportunity to stop wearing glasses) and a slight defect in attitude.

Nina strongly emotionally is related to her carers in the orphanage, which calls “mother” and “father”. Always warmly expressed about them and about the people of her loved ones.

Becky is a pretty girl who is known for her sweet nature. She is 13 years old, and has been in care since she was a baby. Becky has lived in the same foster family for many years. Becky’s right leg is about 1cm shorter than her left, which causes her to walk with a slight limp. She has delays in her language, and cognitive skills. Becky is unable to retain much of what she is taught. She can follow directions, and is a big help around the house where she completes her chores quite happily. Becky responds to questions with a one word reply. She seldom uses two words together. Becky loves music, and loves to dance! She also enjoys watching cartoons. It is difficult to say if Becky will be able to live independently as an adult, but with the love and support of a family of her own, she will surely reach her full potential.

Nanci is a sweet and active girl who is 9 years old. She came to the orphanage as an infant, and has been found to have cognitive delays, as well as some speech delays. She uses short sentences to express her needs. Her movements seem to be a bit slow, overall. Nanci enjoys playing with her friends. She can be easily distracted, and is typically a quiet girl. Nanci would benefit from a good special education class, and a full developmental evaluation. But, most of all, Nanci needs a family!

Sweet 10-year-old Bailee is diagnosed as having arthrogryposis, which affects her knees, ankles and elbows. She is a very capable and independent girl despite her limb differences. In November 2015, she received surgery to improve her mobility and she is currently going through rehabilitation for walking. Bailee participates in the big sister program in her institute. Her teachers say she is polite, gets along well with other children, and loves studying. Although she was able to walk with support a little prior to her recent surgery, she had mostly been using a wheelchair to get around. Her teachers report that she is very smart, independent, and capable. Bailee learned to write her name after being shown only once and seldom asks for help. She is strong and very self-reliant both inside and outside of class and laughs happily when she is praised by her teachers. She is well liked and supported by her friends and classmates. Although the orphanage staff say her fingers aren’t affected by arthrogryposis, they do report some weakness in them. She is able to hold a pencil to write many words, do addition and subtraction, and feed herself.

Bailee enjoys singing, crafts, and drawing. Her teacher said that while all of the other children color a page working from the top to the bottom, Bailee starts at the bottom and colors up. When asked why, she replied: “I just want to be different from others.” Bailee is happy in the institute but also has a good attitude about adoption. Her orphanage prepares children very well for families and takes great care of their kids too! Bailee is willing to be adopted by foreigners so she’ll have more friends and people to love her. She told our staff that she would like to have siblings. She also shared that her favorite toys are Barbie dolls and that she likes the color blue. She said she hopes to go to college to become a teacher. What an inspiration this girl will be to the family who says “YES” to her!

Tera’s file indicates that she has delays in all areas of her cognitive development, many of which are the result of being institutionalized her entire life. She talks, responds to questions and sings beautifully. She enjoys playing games and likes to have the role of the teacher in games. She is significantly behind academically, but shows a great interest in learning and tries very hard to do what the other children are doing. She is very sociable and enjoys interacting with other people.

The agency has photos and videos from November 2015 available for interested families.

Daphne is outgoing and has a quick smile. She enjoys playing with all kinds of toys and watching cartoons. She is close to the caretakers and with her friends. She is helpful and gets along well with the other children. She attends school inside the orphanage.

Daphne is diagnosed with post-op anal atresia. She has normal urination, but does not have bowel continence. She could likely achieve social continence with the support of a program like the one at Cincinnati Children’s or the one at Nationwide Children’s.

Simeon is a beautiful Roma child with dark hair and big brown eyes. He is significantly delayed, and diagnosed with cerebral palsy. We are trying to get more information on his social history. Simeon is a fraternal twin, whose sister has already been adopted.

Simeon is described as mostly non-verbal, and is not able to walk on his own. There just seems to be so much potential for him in a family environment. He is already an outcast because of his darker skin and will be left institutionalized – and likely bedridden — if not adopted.

From a family who visited with him in 2011: Simeon is barely responsive to stimuli, but I believe that could change if he received regular, loving attention. I didn’t observe any of the orphanage workers spending much time interacting with him. There were times that I was able to get him to smile and grip my hand. After a few days, he was even able to clap! But most of the time he is staring off in any direction and seems completely unable to control most of his movements. He was always either lying down or propped up in a sitting position. I never heard him speak. I also never heard him cry or fuss. Overall, a very calm child.

Tammy is calm and sometimes shy and uncertain of her abilities. She is shy when communicating and doesn’t trust strangers. She understands and follows rules and has self-care skills. She showers on her own and feeds herself by using utensils. She strives to be independent when dealing with different situations. Her visual and hearing memory is developed and the presence of long term memory is observed regarding things that impressed her. She often gets confused about situations that happened at different time and mixes them in one. Her attention is stable and focused but with limited capacity and distribution. She can not determine the logical sequence and the cause-effect relation. She can not differentiate the tasks in terms of importance and time, which hinders her success. Her imagination is not developed. She speaks correctly and can have a conversation. She has formed a concept of her personality, culture, communication in a family or social situation, for the most important holidays, animals and seasons. She has extensive notions regarding objects and terms in her surroundings, the natural phenomena, different animals and plants, the human body and health.

The child is acquainted with the possibility of being adopted and wants to have a family that will care for her. She often plays a game of “family” and she is the mother.

Photos and videos from March 2016 are available through the agency. FEES ARE REDUCED FOR HER ADOPTION.

From a family who met her in 2014:
This young lady is very sweet! She is in school and just finished the 3rd level. Betsy likes to color, read, run, swing on the playground, and dance. When we were able to talk to her she seemed slightly shy but very calm and gentle. Betsy is articulate and seems only slightly delayed. She and my daughter hugged and cried when they had to say good-bye. Betsy really wants to come to America. She would be a wonderful addition to any family! I would love to share more with seriously interested families.

Update November 2016: Here is a beautiful young lady who wants a family very badly. Betsy just turned 14 years old. She is fun, rather shy, very sweet, immature emotionally (more like an 8-10yo), physically affectionate, with some mild mental delays, has severe astigmatism that made her nearly blind (but since corrected with strong glasses). She was hosted this summer by a family in TX. We visited Betsy for 6 days while she was here. Betsy confided in our daughter that she did not want to go back to her country at all and wanted to stay here in America with a mama and papa and brothers and sisters. Betsy cried at the thought of going back to her internat (boarding school for orphans).

Yes, adopting Betsy would be adopting an older child. Yes, it comes with different expectations than adopting an infant. Yes, I’ve been there done that and would be more than happy to share the ups and downs of adopting an older child. Yes, I would adopt Betsy in a heartbeat if our house wasn’t already full.

Please, DO NOT turn away from Betsy. Please, pray about adopting her.

I KNOW what kind of internat she comes from…it’s NOT a good place. Betsy does have a few teachers who do care somewhat for these children. She does receive some schooling. Betsy needs out!

From her file dated September 2011- Marygrace is introverted, shy and timid. She loves playing toys (dolls) and listening to music and has a ready smile on her face. Marygrace can get along with other kids, likes reading picture books and chatting with familiar caretakers. She can chat well with close partners and is good at expressing herself, but she doesn’t like talking with strangers. She’s also a good leader among the children.

Sweet little Shayla could tremendously use a family and medical attention to help her thrive. She has already been living in this orphanage for 3 years and risks soon having to be transferred to a place where adoption will be next to impossible.

Her speech is not well developed, she holds toys in her hands for brief periods of time (but she sure does love to hold stuffed animals!), she has a reaction when you say her name but she is not able to communicate back but she smiles. She walks with support- can”t walk independently. Children in this orphanage need families! They do not receive enough interaction/therapy to help them thrive. They are seen as hopeless but we know that is not true!

Update June 2013:
This is not a great picture [on the right] but she would NOT sit still. She was wanting to move!! She thought it was so funny and would not stop laughing and rocking back and forth about the camera. The nannys also were laughing with her- her laugh and happiness is very infectious.

Lauren is a super-sweet and active little girl. She is very social and affectionate, and will do well in a family setting.

As with all children living in these difficult conditions, this child’s cognitive development has regressed significantly since he/she was younger. It is of crucial importance that any family considering the adoption of an older child from the mental institution setting be well prepared for what to expect with regards to how the neglect and lack of adequate medical care and nourishment has affected this child. These children all have TREMENDOUS potential for improvement, and deserve to have a life outside these four walls.

Update June 2013:
Frieda is also very sweet but is delayed. She is shy when you meet her but she loves lollipops and will smile for one 🙂 There is video also available with her in it, for interested families. She knew the words to the lyrics to the songs they performed and also tried to dance along to the music. She does like to rock a little bit when she sits more than likely to self-soothe.

Gertie was born in September of 2002 and has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. She receives regular physical therapy and is able to stand and walk with the help of a walker.

Listed: July 23, 2014

Gertie is described as an outgoing, sensitive and friendly girl. She eagerly takes part in group and individual activities and is very engaged in games. She likes to draw, memorizes songs and poems, and gladly completes her homework.

Update October 2014: Gertie is described as a smart, open and positive girl whose hard work continues to result in academic as well as physical progress for her. She’s now in 5th grade.

Additional reports and photos are available upon request from the agency.

Sweet Sarah Anne has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Right now she is living in an orphanage but is able to go to a Special Education school in the big city. Sarah Anne is still a bit behind her friends developmentally but she does like to play with other children and she studies very hard. Sarah Anne is friendly with others and likes meeting new people. Sarah Anne’s limbs can be a little stiff but she still loves communicating with others.

Sophia can communicate with teachers and caregivers, but when talk is deeper, she can not express herself well. She is able to take care of herself in all daily needs. She is in Grade 4 of a Special Need Children School.

Lucy lives in a foster home and attends special education classes. Lucy is said to be outgoing and enjoys interacting with other children. Lucy was diagnosed with mental delays and language delays. Lucy loves to sing and dance. She knows about 30 Chinese characters, can count to 100, knows all the months of the year and days of the week. Her sentences are said to be limited to four to five words. Lucy can dress and undress herself, feed herself and participate in most all physical activities. Lucy is said to love to read books aloud.

Sarina has normal limb development and delayed motion development. Her mental development is delayed compared to other children. She is open, gentle, polite, and likes familiar people close to her. She can get along well with other kids, likes sharing toys with kids, likes riding the bike, listening to music, and reading. Sarina is able to communicate with people and express her preferences.She can sing short children’s songs, recite short poems and can imitate drawing various shapes. Sarina can walk independently as well as go up and down the stairs. She likes to help people. Sarina is waiting to have a family so she can be a helper to her brothers and sisters.

Ellie is open, gets along well with others, is helpful, and can join in group activities. She is a positive girl, and likes to share the toys. Ellie is receiving acupuncture and motion treatment according to her condition. She can sit stably, can crawl well, can walk slowly with the help of the walking aid. This beautiful girl is just waiting to light up the lives of a her new family.

Jessica was abandoned by her parents in front of our institute in 2005 due to her cerebral palsy. At the time, her complexion was dark and she was skinny. She could neither walk nor talk. In the institute, she is a very good girl who did not cry without reason. We all treasure her. When she interacts with other children, she likes to hold hands with them and touch their faces. Most interestingly, she takes very good care of her toys as they are always the cleanest and complete after she plays with them. For all of this, she is constantly praised by our caretakers.

Because of her cerebral palsy, Jessica has limitations in movement and speech. She received rehabilitation treatment in the institute for a period of time. From July 2011, she received rehabilitation treatment for half a year. Currently, she can walk slowly when holding onto something. She can also say some simple words. For example, she can say the names of all the children in the institute. Because she is timid, she cannot walk freely for fear of falling. She’s afraid to step forward and would sometimes just sit on the floor. We would tell her encouraging words everyday, for Jessica is a child in need of much encouragement.

What a sweet little girl! She is walking independently. Married couples only, large families welcome!

Update June 2013:
Don’t let Cambria’s pictures fool you. She is happy and full of life. Usually, she is stuck in bed for her own safety, as the nannies are afraid she could fall or run into something and hurt herself. When I took her out, she was able to walk, run, and dance to the music playing on the TV in the room. She loves dancing! She started laughing when I clapped my hands in front of her face and when I sneezed. She is an absolutely angelic little girl. While I do believe she has some institutional autism, she would be a joy in any family, and with love and proper care will thrive.

Update March 2014:
Although she mostly lays around because she cannot see, she walks and dances; she loves music. She is extremely gentle, and sensitive to noises. She loves to be swung around and rocked gently, and that also makes her giggle.

Lexi was born prematurely at 34 weeks gestation weighing 1530g. She has had trouble gaining weight. She has a history of bronchitis and otitis. She started walking at the age of 2. In March 2011 she weighed 15kg and was 103cm tall. Delay of speech comprehension, expressive speech, general motor, audio attention memory, and visual attention memory. She is developmentally on target for her age in the areas of fine motor, self sufficiency skills, and social adaptation.

Update from Lexi’s care home Feb 2011: She attends speech therapy classes. She was diagnosed with Speech and communication disorder- moderate delay of language development. During therapy she is active and interested in the activities. However her actions are stereotypical, chaotic, she struggles to understand simple plots of the games.

October 2010: Lexi is agile, happy, and communicative. She is able to recognise and name the objects from her nearest surroundings. She struggles to understand abstract concepts. She helps get herself dressed, undressed, makes her bed, and looks after her own clothes.

Oh, Noel! Noel was born with hydrocephaly and severe CP. She has had surgery and has a shunt for her hydrocephalus, but she is still just “existing” for right now. She is blessed to still be at the baby house….the director can’t bear to send her on.

Listed: February 21, 2011

There is no way to know her potential until she is out of an orphanage and in her own family setting. She will likely require 24 hour care. But she deserves a family of her own!

Because of her severe special needs, any family considering a commitment for Noel should have experience caring for a child with these significant needs.